AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
City of Garland
Work Session Room, City Hall
William E. Dollar Municipal Building
200 North Fifth Street
Garland, Texas 
Monday, November 4, 2019
6:00 p.m.
 
 

DEFINITIONS:

Written Briefing: Items that generally do not require a presentation or discussion by the staff or Council. On these items the staff is seeking direction from the Council or providing information in a written format.

Verbal Briefing: These items do not require written background information or are an update on items previously discussed by the Council.

Regular Item: These items generally require discussion between the Council and staff, boards, commissions, or consultants. These items are often accompanied by a formal presentation followed by discussion.












 

[Public comment will not be accepted during Work Session
unless Council determines otherwise.]

 

 


 

NOTICE: The City Council may recess from the open session and convene in a closed executive session if the discussion of any of the listed agenda items concerns one or more of the following matters:
 
(1) Pending/contemplated litigation, settlement offer(s), and matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information deemed confidential by Rule 1.05 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.  Sec. 551.071, Tex. Gov't Code.

(2)  The purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person.  Sec. 551.072, Tex. Gov't Code.

(3)  A contract for a prospective gift or donation to the City, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person. Sec. 551.073, Tex. Gov't Code.

(4)  Personnel matters involving the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear a complaint against an officer or employee.  Sec. 551.074, Tex. Gov't Code.

(5)  The deployment, or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or devices. Sec.  551.076, Tex. Gov't Code.

(6) Discussions or deliberations regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from a business prospect that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect of the sort described in this provision. Sec. 551.087, Tex. Gov't Code.
 
(7) Discussions, deliberations, votes, or other final action on matters related to the City’s competitive activity, including information that would, if disclosed, give advantage to competitors or prospective competitors and is reasonably related to one or more of the following categories of information:
  • generation unit specific and portfolio fixed and variable costs, including forecasts of those costs, capital improvement plans for generation units, and generation unit operating characteristics and outage scheduling;
  • bidding and pricing information for purchased power, generation and fuel, and Electric Reliability Council of Texas bids, prices, offers, and related services and strategies;
  • effective fuel and purchased power agreements and fuel transportation arrangements and contracts;
  • risk management information, contracts, and strategies, including fuel hedging and storage;
  • plans, studies, proposals, and analyses for system improvements, additions, or sales, other than transmission and distribution system improvements inside the service area for which the public power utility is the sole certificated retail provider; and
  • customer billing, contract, and usage information, electric power pricing information, system load characteristics, and electric power marketing analyses and strategies.  Sec. 551.086;  Tex. Gov't Code; Sec. 552.133, Tex. Gov’t Code]
             
1. Consider the Consent Agenda

A member of the City Council may ask for discussion or further information on an item posted as a consent agenda item on the next Regular Meeting of the City Council. The Council Member may also ask that an item on the posted consent agenda be pulled from the consent agenda and considered for a vote separate from consent agenda items on the regular agenda.  All discussions or deliberations on this portion of the work session agenda are limited to posted agenda items and may not include a new or unposted subject matter.   
 
 
2. Written Briefings:  
 
a.   Amendment to University Park Landfill Usage Agreement

Council is requested to authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Landfill Usage Agreement between the City of Garland and the City of University Park.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the November 19, 2019 Regular Meeting.
 
b.   Multiple Use Agreement with Texas Department of Transportation for MGR Bikeway (Duck Creek Trail Connections)

Council is requested to consider whether to enter into a Multiple Use Agreement (MUA) with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the construction and use of the MGR Bikeway (Duck Creek Trail Connections Segment II) at IH-30/Greenbelt Parkway.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the November 19, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
c.   Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the City of Mesquite for MGR Bikeway (Duck Creek Trail Connections)

Council is requested to consider whether to enter into an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Mesquite, Texas ("Mesquite") for the construction and use of the MGR Bikeway (Duck Creek Trail Connections Segments II) at IH-30/Greenbelt Parkway.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the November 19, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
d.   Investment Portfolio Summary

Staff presents the Portfolio Summary report to Council each quarter.  The report is in compliance with the requirements of the Public Funds Investment Act.  Management of the City's portfolios is conducted in accordance with the City Council Financial Policy, Statement of Investment Strategy and Investment Policy. 
 
e.   FY 2019-2020 Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)-Impaired Driving Mobilization (IDM) Grant

Council is requested to consider accepting a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) - Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) - Impaired Driving Mobilization (IDM) Grant.  This item is scheduled for formal consideration at the November 5, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
f.   Discuss the 2020 Scheduling of Council Dates 

Council is requested to review and discuss if needed changes to the City Council meeting dates for 2020 as presented in the attached schedule.
 
3. Verbal Briefings:  
 
a.   Transportation, Infrastructure and Mobility Committee Report 

Council Member Rich Aubin, Chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Mobility Committee, will provide a committee report on the following items:
  • City of Garland Transportation Priorities for Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition (DRMC)
    • The DRMC has requested that each member organization submit a priority item to be included in their strategic plans.  The Committee recommends that pursuing future improvements to IH-30 from IH-635 to Bass Pro Drive should be Garland's priority project. 
 
b.   Reappraisal of Storm Damaged Property 

Property value is established as of January 1st for each calendar year. This value is used to assess a tax levy for the full calendar year. Because of a recent natural disaster that occurred on October 20, 2019, the City Council has the option to reappraise property which has been damaged as a result of the disaster. If the Council so chooses, the reappraisal will be conducted in accordance with the Texas
Property Tax Code section 23.02.  This item is scheduled for formal consideration at the November 5, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
c.   Statement of Concern Regarding the Texas Legislature and Local Governments

At the request of Council Member David Gibbons and Council Member Rich Aubin, Council is asked to consider adopting a resolution expressing its concerns regarding the House Speaker's comments and the apparent attitude of the Speaker and other legislators toward local government and their fellow members within the House.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the November 19, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
d.   Framework for Citizen Input at Work Sessions

At the October 21, 2019 Work Session, Council considered the impact of a new law, enacted as HB 2840 during the last legislative session, that allows for citizen input at any open meeting of a governmental body regarding an item on the agenda.  The City Attorney was directed to bring back revisions and options for further Council discussion.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the November 21, 2019 Regular Meeting. 
 
e.   Discuss Curfew on Downtown Square 

At the request of Council Member Deborah Morris and Mayor Pro Tem Robert John Smith, Council is requested to discuss setting a curfew for the Downtown Square. 
 
f.   Consider various amendments to the Garland Development Code

Staff will present various amendments to consider throughout the Garland Development Code (GDC). 
 
4. Announce Future Agenda Items

A member of the City Council, with a second by another member, or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.
 
 
5. Adjourn